FAQ

Get Answers For Your Dental Questions

Visit our Honolulu, HI dentist office to get the excellent care your smile needs. In the meantime, check out some of the questions we hear almost every day! We’ve taken the liberty to give you a simple answer, but we would love to help you get a personalized response when you next visit our office. Call 808-797-3680 or send us a message using our convenient online form.

Q: How can diabetes affect my oral health?

A: People with diabetes are at greater risk of problems with their oral hygiene. A diabetic’s white blood cells are elevated, which makes them more likely to have bacterial infections, including oral infections. A diabetic’s oral health can suffer due to a lack of saliva resulting from medication side effects. This results in dry mouth and therefore tooth decay, soreness, and ulcers. Also, diabetics are at greater risk for gingivitis, which can ultimately result in gum disease.

When a diabetic’s oral health spirals out of control, they can develop problems that now need extensive work or surgery. After the procedure, they may experience a slow healing process because of lack of immediate blood flow to the area that was worked on. We deal with these problems a great deal and are recognized as experts in diabetic dentistry in Honolulu!

Q: How can I improve the look of my smile?

A: We offer a number of excellent ways to improve the look of your smile. If you have broken, chipped, or missing teeth, we offer incredible options with dental implants, dental crowns, dental bridges, and dentures. For those looking to brighten your smile, our teeth whitening treatments will make your smile shine! And for those wanting a straighter smile, we offer a few different types of braces, including Invisalign and Fastbraces, that will give you the smile you’ve always desired!

Q: What does gum disease look like?

A: Gum disease can often be reversed in the early stages with proper care. Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, is marked by puffy, swollen gums coupled with bleeding upon brushing or flossing. If nothing is done to combat gingivitis, it may develop into a more serious stage of gum disease. Gum disease can result in receding gums, which can lead to exposure of the roots of the teeth, halitosis, infected pockets that form in your gums due to loose teeth, and loss of teeth in areas that are affected.

Q: What is the best toothbrush to use?

A: Choosing the correct toothbrush can often make a great difference in your overall dental hygiene. When picking out a toothbrush, you must first make sure that it is an acceptable size capable of reaching and cleaning every tooth. Another important factor is the strength of the bristles. While some people feel that hard bristles make their teeth cleaner, bristles being too hard can cause damage to your gums and enamel, resulting in more problems down the road.

It is best to use a soft bristle toothbrush for two minutes twice a day. You might benefit from an electric toothbrush, but we can help you decide when you visit the office. Selecting the right toothbrush is a key decision in the world of preventive dentistry. The correct toothbrush can mean cleaner teeth!